Why do parents continue working if a salary only just covers childcare?

Irish parents are spending about a quarter of their income on children with some paying up to 40%. But can you imagine saving up for your childcare? Andrea Mara spoke to one mother who said she had no other choice.

Just about breaking even after paying for childcare – that’s a familiar story. Or giving up work entirely, because childcare costs too much – that’s very common too. But saving to pay for childcare – putting money aside in order to go back to work after maternity leave –would anyone do it? Cork woman Nicola Sheehan did just that.

When she and her husband decided to have a second child, the mother of two did the sums. “I realised that after the mortgage and bills, our wages would not cover a second child in crèche,” says Nicola, who works three days a week as a legal executive. “So I saved enough money to pay the second child’s crèche fees, to cover the nine months until my older daughter starts the free preschool year this September. We are both on decent wages, but still couldn’t afford it.”